Method of conditioning fuel during operation of gas engines



27, 1940- F. R. ACKERMAN 2,213,132

METHOD OF CONDITIONING FUEL DURING OPERATION OF GAS ENGINES Filed Oct.18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Aug. 27, 1940. R. ACKERMAN 2,213,132

METHOD 0F CONDITIONING FUEL DURING OPERATION 0F GAS ENGINES FiledOct.18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Y Fem/as Eflc/(ERMfiI/Y ATTORNEYSPatented Aug. 21, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" METHOD OFCONDITIONING FUEL DUR- ENG OPERATION or GAS ENGINES Francis'R. Ackerman,Euclid, Ohio Application October 18, 1938, Serial Not 235,638 (01.123-119) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to the conditioning, of fuel for gas engines,whereby carbon deposits in the engine head are decreased, and thegeneral object thereof is the provision of a method of treating thevaporized fuel-after the same has passed through the engine carburetorand is mixed with air, the method comprising the utilization of achlorine gas which will dis'p rse and commingle withthe vaporized fueland ir prior to the combustion of the fuel in the engine head.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of anapparatus, operable when the engine is in operation for electrolyticallygenerating the chlorine gas, whereupon the same is [mixed with thevaporized fuel and air as the same passes through the intake manifold ofthe trodes and 2| are suitably supported ,by the engine to the cylinderheads of the engine.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from thedescription hereinafter .20 set forth, reference being made to theaccom- I panying drawings which illustrate suitable apparatus forcarrying out my method of treating the vaporized fuel, for the purposesabove stated. My invention contemplates the treating of vaporized fueland air with a chlorine gas, such,

for example, as feeding such a gas into the intake manifold of a gasengine in such manner that 35 such as chlorine, for the purpose stated,over aperiod of time, eventually results in the elimination of thecarbon from the cylinder heads. The chlorine may be electrolyticallyderived by a simple-apparatus attached to the engine, or associ- 40 atedparts, and electrical energy for the purpose can be derived from theignition battery of. the

engine. However, if desired, the chlorine can be supplied by attachingto'the engine or associated parts a tank of liquified chlorine which canbe 45 suitably valved to permit gradual expansion and escape of thechlorine from the tank to the 1 engine manifold. In the drawings, bothforms of apparatus are illustratedto supply the chlo rine gas to theintake manifold.

I 50 In the drawings; Fig.- 1 is a side elevation of agas engine,equipped with one form of my generating apparatus; Fig. 2 is an enlargedcrosssectional view, taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig. 1 ofthe gas generating apparatus;

' 55 Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the gas generating shown as having apipe line I I extending from liquid chlorine which is expanded andliberated of the engine.

ratus 45, comprising a. resistance coil, may be t apparatus shown inFigs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a gas engine, equippedwith an auxiliary gas tank.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, the gas engine It! the container I2 of theauxiliary gas generator to the intake manifold M of the engine, the lineH being connected to the manifold above'the engine carburetor 15. Theauxiliary gas generating apparatus I 2 may be connected to the 10 engineor to any associated part thereof and I have shown in Fig. 2 a bracketmember I6 bolted directly to the engine side adjacent the carburetor l5. Thisbracket may also comprise a screw top closure for the containerl2, formed integrally 15 with the bracket I6. Positive and, negativeelecclosure 'portion I8 of the bracket Hi, the positive electrode 20being insulated therefrom by a flanged rubber sleeve 22. A conventionalgasket '20 lfl serves to gas seal the container. The terminal 23 of theelectrode 20 is connected to a feed wire 24 which is connected to annition'battery 25," preferably through the ignition switch 26.

The negative electrode 2| is connected direct- 25 ly to the closuremember I8 by any suitable means such as a screw member 28, and by reasonof the engine being grounded to the battery, the gasgenerating circuitis completed. I have found that a suitable material for the electrodemay comprise carbon sticks of substantialdiameter. The gas line It isconnected to the interior of the container l2 by a needle'valve 29 andassociated mechanism 3|, there being a conveniently exposed needlehandle 32 for-adjusting the pas- 35 sage of gas from the interiof'of thecontainer l2. When the ignition switch 26 is closed, the sodium chloridebecomes electrolytically decomposed, the sodium falling to the bottom ofthe container from the electrode and the chlorine 40 gas rising to thetop' thereof. When the engine is running, and the valve member 29 isproperly adjusted, the chlorine is electrolytically generated within thecontainer [2 and is drawn to the intake 'manifold M of the enginethrough the pipe line H, and becomes commingled in the manifold with thevaporized fuel and air before reaching the intake valve of the engine.

In Fig.4 I have shown attached to the side of the engine 40 a. tank4|,which may. contain through a valve member 42 to a gas line 43, thelatter being connected to the intake manifold 44 If desired, a defrosterappaassociated with the outlet end of the tank 4| to prevent freezing ofthe outlet and valve 42, due

V to expansion of the liquifying fluid. In this arrangement thedefroster mechanism 45 may also comprise a solenoid-operated valve whichwill close the tank 4| when the ignition switch 48 is opened.

It will be noted that in both arrangements by controlling the flow ofthe chlorine gas through electrical means controlled by the ignitionswitch, danger of the chlorine escaping into the engine manifold I4 andthe head of the engine when the engine is not in operation, iseliminated.

While I make no claim as to the merits of the invention disclosed inincreasing the power output and combustion characteristics of thetreated fuel, nevertheless dynometer tests have disclosed that nodetrimental effects result by the introduction of the chlorine insofaras power' output and combustion are concerned. In fact, such testsdisclose that there was an increase of from 4 to 5% per gallon of fuelconsumed when I only that amount of chlorine'was introduced which becameavailable by the electrolytic generization of chlorine from an aqueoussolution of sodium chloride while using the ignition battery of theengine as a source of electrical energy.

I claim:

1. The method of decarbonizing cylinder heads in gas engines utilizing acarbon-forming fuel, comprising feeding into the fuel gases at the intake manifold of the engine while the engine is in operation, avaporized chlorine gas, to cause the same to commingle with a vaporizedfuel and air prior to combustion of the fuel.

2. A method of treating a carbon-forming vaporized gas engine fuel,comprising feeding into the fuel gas at the intake manifold of theengine while the engine is in operation, vaporized chlorine.

3. The method of decarbonizing cylinder heads of gas engines utilizing acarbon-forming fuel,

comprising the feeding into the fuel gas at the intake manifold of theengine while the engine is in operation, of chlorine gas. 1

4. The method of decarbonizing cylinder heads of gas engines utilizing acarbon-forming fuel, comprising generating chlorine gas by theelectrolytic decomposition of sodium chloride while the engine is inoperation and injecting the generated chlorine into the vaporized fuelgas and air as the same pass to the cylinder heads of the engine.

5. The method of treating a hydrocarbon fuel for use in an internalcombustion engine, comprising generating a quantity of chlorine vaporgas by the chemical decomposition of a chlorine compound in an aqueoussolution and feeding the gas into the fuel vapor before it enters theengine, to thereby decarbonize the combustion chamber.

6. The method of treating a carbon-forming fuel for use in an internalcombustion engine, comprising storing a quantity of chlorine vapor gasin a sealed container and subsequently feeding the gas into the fuelvapor supply before it enters the engine, to thereby decarbonize thecombustion chamber.

7. The method of treating a carbon-forming fuel for use in an internalcombustion engine, comprising storing a quantity of chlorine vapor gasin a sealed container and subsequently with drawing the gas into thefuel vapor supply before it enters the engine by the suction created atthe intake manifold, to thereby decarbonize the combustion chamber.

8. The method of treating a carbon-forming fuel for use in an internalcombustion engine, comprising generating a quantity of chlorine vaporgas in a closed container and withdrawing a quantity of the gas into thefuel vapor supply before it enters the engine by the suction created inthe intake manifold, to thereby decarbonize the combustion chamber.

FRANCIS R. ACKERMAN.

